GB2485550A

GB2485550A - An activity arch and the combination of an activity arch and a mat

Info

Publication number: GB2485550A
Application number: GB1019424.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew Shingles
Original assignee: EAST COAST NURSERY Ltd
Current assignee: EAST COAST NURSERY Ltd
Priority date: 2010-11-17
Filing date: 2010-11-17
Publication date: 2012-05-23
Also published as: GB201019424D0

Abstract

An activity arch 10, which is suitable is suitable for a baby changing mat 14, comprises a base portion 18 with a substantially planar portion which can be located under the changing mat 14, and an arch portion 16 connected to the base 18 via an articulated joint 28. The arch 16 can be moved using the articulated joint 28 from a position in which the arch 16 is substantially parallel to the planar portion of the base 18 to a position in which the arch 16 extends above the base 18. One end 50 of the mat 14 is rounded allowing it to fit within the perimeter of the arch portion 16 when folded in a position parallel to the base 18. The base 18 may comprise two separable portions (30, 32, Figure 2), and includes two feet (44, figure 2). The arch 16 has toy hanging portions 29.

Description

An activity arch and the combination of an activity arch and a mat Activity arches above baby changing mats, for example with toys hung from the arch, are useful to provide entertainment and distraction for a baby whilst ft is having its nappy changed.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an activity arch suitable for extending across a baby changing mat, the arch comprising: a substantially planar base, an arch portion connected to the base via at least one articulated joint, such that the arch portion can be arranged to lie substantially parallel to the base portion.

When the arch is arranged to lie substantially parallel to the base portion, i.e. when it is folded, it is much less bulky and so more easy to store and transport. Further, the arch does not rely on attachment to a mat to be assembled, and so can be used with any type of mat which fits wfthin the arch, or the arch can be used on its own, without a mat.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an activity arch for a baby changing mat, the arch comprising an arch portion which arches over a changing mat in use and a base connecting the ends of the arch portion, the shape of the underside of the arch portion being similar to the shape of an end of a standard changing mat so that such a standard mat fits wfthin the arch for compact storage or transportation.

In the above aspect of the present invention, the arch portion is preferably connected to the base portion via at least one articulated joint, such that the arch position can be moved from a posftion in which the arch lies flat to a position in which the arch extends above the base.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided the combination of an activity arch according to the first aspect of the invention and a mat, such as a baby changing mat, the base arranged such that it can lie, at least partially, under the mat in use.

According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided the combination of an activity arch and a changing mat, the arch comprising an arch portion which arches over the changing mat in use and a base which can be arranged to lie at least partially under the changing mat in use the base connecting the ends of the arch portion, the arch portion and the changing mat being shaped such that one end of the changing mat fits within the arch portion for compact storage or transportation.

One of the longitudinal ends of the mat may be shaped such that when the arch is folded towards that end of the mat, the perimeter of that portion of the mat does not extend outside the perimeter of the arch. The end of the mat is preferably shaped in a curved shape.

In the above aspects of the present invention, the base may comprise a first base portion and a second base portion, the base portions being separable.

The first base portion may include a first fastener portion and the second base portion may include a second fastener portion, the fastener portions being arranged such that they can cooperate to join the base portions.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the mat comprises at least one base retaining element for retaining the base.

I

The mat may comprise only one base retaining element, the base retaining element defining an opening such that, where the base comprises separable base portions with fastener portions, the fastener portions can be accessed through the opening to aid fastening.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided the combination of an activity arch and a mat, such as a baby changing mat, the arch comprising an arch portion connected to a base, the base arranged such that it can lie, at least partially, under the mat in use, the mat comprising at least one base retaining element for retaining the base, the base comprising a first base portion and a second base portion, the base portions being separable.

In the above aspect of the present invention, the first base portion may include a first fastener portion and the second base portion may include a second fastener portion, the first and second fastener portions being arranged such that they can cooperate to join the base portions.

The first fastener portion may define an aperture and the second fastener portion may comprise a protrusion arranged to extend through the aperture. The first fastener portion may define a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion, the first aperture portion being wider in a transverse direction of the base portion than the second aperture portion and the protrusion of the second base portion may have a first protrusion portion and a second protrusion portion, the second protrusion portion being further from the base portion and wider than the first protrusion portion, the second protrusion portion being wider than the second aperture portion but less wide than the first aperture portion. The first and second aperture portions may be positioned such that the protrusion of the second fastener portion can be moved into the second aperture portion by pulling the base portions in opposite directions. This is a simple way ofjoining the base portions.

The base is preferably elongate. Therefore, the base can be of a length slightly greater than the width of the mat, but is not excessively wide in the perpendicular dimension, allowing it to be lightweight.

The arch is preferably connected to the base at either end of the base. The arch portion preferably comprises a single element. Thus it is simple to manufacture. The arch portion is formed from a strip-shaped element. Thus the arch portion can have rigidity yet be lightweight compared to, say, a cylindrical cross section of the same diameter.

One of the at least one articulated joints may include a ratchet mechanism, such that the arch can be arranged stably at different angles to the base. This allows the distance of the arch from the baby to be adjusted as the user wants, for example, to allow the baby to reach any toys dangling from the arch and to bring the toys into the direct view of the baby.

The base preferably has a connection portion at least at one end, the or each connection portion extending upwards from the base, the or each articulated joint being formed on the or each connection portion. Preferably the or each connection portion and the base are integral.

This improves the robustness and rigidity of the base and, therefore, the arch.

The arch preferably further comprises feet, the feet being located at either end of the base and each extending from at least one side of the base substantially perpendicularly to the elongate dimension of the base. This helps to stabilise the base, especially when the arch is used not in combination with a mat, and helps to prevent the arch from toppling over.

Each foot may be attached to the base in a rotatable manner such that the foot can be rotated from a position in which it extends from one side of the base to a position in which it extends from the other side of the base. The feet can therefore be arranged so that they extend from opposite sides of the base, and thus provide sufficient stability, without the added weight incurred by a foot which extends from both sides of the base. It also allows the foot to bc positioned in line with the base without it extending over an end of the base, or the side of the base, so that the arch can be made compact for storage, without the feet having to be detached. This removes the risk of the feet being lost whilst detached.

The base is preferably arranged such that it can lie, at least partially, under the mat in use. A baby is therefore cushioned from the arch by the mat, and the base is further stabilised by the mat lying on top of it.

Preferably the mat can be folded with the arch so that it can lie in a substantially planar manner with the base and the folded arch. This allows a compact arrangement to facilitate storage and transportation.

One of the longitudinal ends of the mat may be shaped, so that, when the arch is folded towards that end of the mat, the perimeter of that portion of the mat does not extend outside the perimeter of the arch. This provides a compact folded shape for the arc blmat arrangement. The arch and/or the end of the mat may be in the form of a curve.

The other end of the mat may be shaped such that, when the arch and the mat are folded, the perimeter of the other end of the mat does not extend outside the perimeter of the arch substantially. Again, this helps to provide a compact folded shape for the arc hlmat arrangement.

The mat preferably comprises at least one base retaining element for retaining the base.

Therefore the relative positions of the mat and arch can be maintained easily. Preferably the mat comprises two base retaining elements, located on opposed edges of the mat. The or each base retaining element may comprise a strip attached to the mat along opposed sides of the strip, to define a passage between the strip and the mat of sufficient width such that the base can be threaded through the passage. The base can therefore be attached to the mat by threading it through the passages. The fact that the base can be separated into two portions aids this, as each portion can be threaded through a different retaining element, and the portions then fastened together.

The above aspects of the invention will now be described in two embodiments by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view from above of the activity arch and mat of the first embodiment in combination; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view from below of the arch and mat combination Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a view from above of the arch and mat combination Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows a view from the end of the arch and mat combination Fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows a view from the side of the arch and mat combination Fig. 1; Fig. 6 shows a perspective view from above of the arch of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 shows a view from above of the arch of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 shows a view from the end of the arch of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 shows a view from the side of the arch of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1; Fig. 10 shows a view from below of the arch of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1; Fig. 11 shows a perspective view from above of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1 when folded; Fig. 12 shows a view from above of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1 when folded; Fig. 13 shows a view from the end of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1 when folded; Fig. 14 shows a view of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1 when folded, from the end opposite that in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 shows a view from the side of the arch and mat combination of Fig. 1 when folded; and Fig. 16 shows a perspective view from below the activity arch and mat of the second embodiment in combination.

In the first embodiment, the activity arch and mat combination 10 comprises an arch 12 and a mat 14, as shown in Fig. ito 5, and 11 to 15.

The arch tO, as shown above in Figs. 6 to 10, includes an arch portion 16 and a base 18. The base 18 is elongate and at each end 20 a connection portion 22 extends upwardly from the base 18. The arch portion 16 is a strip of plastics material which is curved and joined at each end to one of the connection portions 22 of the base 18. Each connection portion 22 has an aperture 24 and each end of the arch portion has an aperture 26. The arch portion 16 end is joined to the a connection portions by a stud 28 which extends through the connection portion aperture 22 and the arch portion aperture 26. This allows an articulated joint 25 between the base 18 and the arch portion 16, so that the arch can be moved between the extremes of lying parallel to the base 18, as shown in Figs. 11 to 15, and extending at 90° to the base 18, as shown in Figs. 1 to 10. Further, the joint 25 is ratcheted, to allow the arch portion 16 to maintain a variety of positions between these two extremes.

The arch portion 16 has three toy hanging portions 29 which are narrower than the rest of the strip. A toy (not shown) can be attached via a fixing (not shown) which surrounds a toy hanging portion 29. The toy hanging portions 29 also release stress in the arch 12 allowing it to be bent more easily and keep its shape.

The base 18 comprises two separable base portions 30, 32. As seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 10, the first base portion 30 has two apertures 34 at the end 35 thereof which joins with the second base portion 32. The apertures 34 are elongate in the same direction as the base and each aperture 34 has a wide portion 36 and a thinner portion 38, the thinner portion 38 being nearer the end 35. The second base portion 32 has two protrusions 40 which depend from the base portion 32 and are L-shaped. As the protrusions 40 are L-shaped, they have a thin portion 41 attached to the second base portion 32, and a wider portion 42 or base of the L-shape attached to the thin portion 41. The base 42 of the L-shape of each protrusion 40 is narrower than the wide portion 36 of an aperture 34, but wider than the thinner portion 38.

To fasten the base portions 30, 32 together, the bases 42 of the L-shaped protrusions 40 are pushed through the wide portions 36 of the apertures 34, 50 that the thin portions 41 of the protrusions 40 lie within the apertures 34. The base portions 30, 32 can be moved in opposite directions away from each other, so that the thin portions 41 of the protrusions 40 lie within the thinner portions 38 of the apertures 34, with the base 42 of the L-shaped protrusions lying underneath the base portion 30. The protrusions 40 can therefore not be lifted through the apertures 34, as the base 42 is too wide to fit through the thin portion 38 of the aperture 34.

Thus, the base portions 30, 32 are fastened together. The base portions 30, 32 can be unfastened by pushing the base portions towards each other, so that the protrusions 40 lie within the wide portions 36 of the apertures 34, and can thus be lifted out of the apertures 34.

The two protrusions 40 are mirror images of each other, so that the bases 42 extend in opposite directions. The protrusions 40 cannot, therefore, be moved through the thin portions 41 of the apertures by relative rotation of the base portions 30, 32, as would be possible if both L-shaped protrusions 40 faced the same way or if there was only one L-shaped protrusion 40.

The base 18 includes two feet 44. Each foot 44 is located towards an end 20 of the base 18 and is connected to the base 18 via a stud 46 which extends through both the base 18 and the foot 44. The stud 46 allows a rotatable connection such that the position of the foot 44 can be varied. A useful arrangement is to have one foot 44 extending perpendicularly from each side of the base 18, to help prevent the arch 12 from toppling over.

The mat 14 is elongate and has a width just smaller than the inner width of the arch 12, o that the mat can fit inside the arch 12, on top of the base 18. As shown in Fig. 2, the mat 14 has two tabs 46 on its underneath side. The tabs 46 are strips of plastic material, which arc welded on two opposed sides 48 to the mat 14, thus creating a passage 47 between the sides 48. The passages 47 lie in the direction across the mat 14. Thus, before the two base portions 30, 32 are fastened together, each base portion 30, 32 can be threaded through the passage 47 bounded by a tab 46. The mat 14 is therefore attached to the arch 12, so that the mat 14 and the arch 12 can be kept in constant relative positions. The base portions 30, 32 can then be fastened to ensure a solid base 18, and further prevent the mat 14 and arch 12 becoming detached from each other. The mat 12 is rounded at one end 50 with a radius just smaller than that of the curved arch portion of the arch 12.

In use, as previously discussed, the arch 12 can be folded so that the arch portion 16 lies substantially parallel with the base 18. The mat 14 can also be folded to the side to which the arch portion 16 has been folded to make the whole arrangement more compact. The tabs 46 act to keep the arch 12 and mat 14 joined together when folded and to prevent the arch 12 from sliding along the mat 14, in use. The fact that one end 50 of the mat 14 is rounded, allows that end 50 of the mat 14 to fit within the perimeter of the folded arch portion 16, allowing a more compact arrangement. The corners 52 of the other end of the mat 14 are also radiused so that they do not protrude substantially over the perimeter of the arch portion 18.

The feet 44 can be rotated such that they lie parallel with the length of the base 18, and do not extend from the perimeter of the base 18, to further keep the arrangement compact.

In the second embodiment, the activity arch and mat are similar to those of the first embodiment. Only the differences from the first embodiment will be described, and the same reference numbers will be used for features which are the same.

The mat 14, instead of having two tabs to retain the base 18 of the arch 12, has only one tab 60. The tab 60 extends across a central portion of the mat 14. The tab 60 is attached to the mat along opposed edges 62 which extend in the direction across the mat 14. The tab 60 and mat 14 therefore define a passage 64 which extends across the mat 14. The tab 60 defines a centrally positioned opening 66, which allows access to the passage 64.

In use, first base portion 30 is inserted into the passage 64 at one end 68 and the second base portion 32 is inserted into the passage 64 at the other end 70. The apertures 34 of the first base portion 30 and the protrusions 40 of the second base portion 32 align with the opening 66 when they are positioned such that they can be fastened, and so as to allow the user to easily see that the base portions 30,32 are correctly fastened.

Ahhough use of the arch 12 in combination with the mat 14 has been described, it should be noted that the invention also provides an arch 12 which can stand alone, and still be folded for compact storage and transportation.

In the above embodiments, ahhough the retaining devices are tabs 46, it should be apparent that any suitable form of retaining device could be used. Further, ahhough up to two tabs are provided, it would be possible to use any suitable number of tabs.

The feet 44 in the above embodiments are rotatable and able to extend from only one side of the base. However, feet which extend from both sides of the base may be provided. These could be permanently attached to the base, or even integral with the base. Alternatively, they could be detachable, and fixed to the base, for example, by flanges which extend around protrusion provided on the base, allowing the feet to be slidingly positioned.

The fastening arrangement includes two apertures 34 and two protrusions 40. However, it would be apparent to the skilled man that only one aperture and one corresponding protrusion need be used. Ahernatively, a different fastener arrangement could be used. For example, one base portion might have a single aperture of constant width. The other base portion might have an L-shaped protrusion, being L-shaped in a cross section direction parallel with the longitudinal dimension of the base, rather than the lateral dimension as in the above embodiment. The base portions can then be joined in a similar manner to the above embodiment, so that the base of the L-shape protrusion overlaps the end of the base portion with the aperture. The end of the base of the L-shaped protrusion might have a tab which extends back towards the base portion to which it is fixed, so that this overlaps the end of the other base portion when the base portions are connected. This prevents easy movement in the unfastening direction.

In the above embodiments, the arch is rounded and one end of the mat is rounded so that it fits within the arch. By "fits within the arch" it is meant that the shape of the mat fits within the shape of the arch without being bent or squashed, i.e. the dimensions of the mat are smaller. It will be apparent to the skilled man that any suitable complementary shapes of arch and mat could be used, and that the arch could be shaped to accommodate a standard changing mat.

Claims

Claims 1. An activity arch suitable for a baby changing mat, the arch comprising: a base with a substantially planar portion for location under a baby changing mat, an arch portion connected to the base via at least one articulated joint, such that the arch can be moved from a position in which the arch is substantially parallel to the planar portion of the base to a position in which the arch extends above the base.
2. An activity arch for a baby changing mat, the arch comprising an arch portion which arches over a changing mat in use and a base connecting the ends of the arch portion, the shape of the underside of the arch portion being such that the end of a standard changing mat fits within the arch for compact storage or transportation.
3. An activity arch according to claim 2, wherein the arch portion is connected to the base via at least one articulated joint, such that the arch position can be moved from a position in which the arch lies substantially flat to a position in which the arch extends above the base.
4. An activity arch according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein one of the at least one articulated joints includes a ratchet mechanism, such that the arch can be arranged at different angles to the base.
5. An activity arch according to any preceding claim, wherein the base is elongate.
6. An activity arch according to claim 5, wherein, where the base includes an articulated joint, the base has a connection portion at at least one end, the connection portion extending upwards from the base, the or each articulated joint being formed on the or each connection portion.
7. An activity arch according to claim 6, wherein the or each connection portion and the base are integral.
8. An activity arch according to any preceding claim, wherein the base comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being separable.
9. An activity arch according to claim 8, wherein the first base portion includes a first fastener portion, the second base portion includes a second fastener portion, the fastener portions being arranged such that they can cooperate to join the base portions.
10. An activity arch according to claim 9, wherein the first fastener portion defines an aperture and the second fastener portion comprises a protrusion arranged to extend through the aperture.
11. An activity arch according to any of claims 4 to 10, wherein the arch further comprises feet, the feet being located at either end of the base and each extending from at least one side of the base substantially perpendicularly to the elongate dimension of the base.
12. An activity arch according to claim 11, wherein each foot is attached to the base in a rotatable manner such that the foot can be rotated from a position in which it extends from one side of the base to a position in which it extends from the other side of the base.
13. An activity arch according to any preceding claim, wherein the arch portion comprises a single element.
14. An activity arch according to claim 13, wherein the arch portion is formed from a strip-shaped element.
15. An activity arch substantially as described herein and with reference to Figs. 6 to 10.
16. The combination of an activity arch according to any of claims ito 15 and a mat, such as a baby changing mat.
17. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 16, the base lying at least partially under the mat.
18. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 17, wherein one of the longitudinal ends of the mat is shaped such that when the arch is folded towards that end of the mat, the perimeter of that portion of the mat does not extend outside the perimeter of the arch.
19. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the mat can be folded with the arch so that it can lie in a substantially planar manner with the base and the folded arch.
20. The combination of an activity arch and a changing mat, the arch comprising: an arch portion which arches over the changing mat and a base which lies at least partially under the changing mat, the base connecting the ends of the arch portion, the arch portion and the changing mat being shaped such that one end of the changing mat fits within the arch portion for compact storage or transportation.
21. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to any of claims 16 to 20, wherein the mat comprises at least one base retaining element for retaining the base.
22. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 21, wherein the or each base retaining element comprises a strip attached to the mat along opposed sides of the strip, to define a passage between the strip and the mat of sufficient width such that the base can be threaded through the passage.
23. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the mat comprises two base retaining elements, located on opposed edges of the mat.
24. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 22, wherein the mat comprises only one base retaining clement, the base retaining element defining an opening such that, where the base comprises separable base portions with fastener portions, the fastener portions can be accessed through the opening to aid fastening.
25. The combination of an activity arch and a mat, such as a baby changing mat, the arch comprising an arch portion connected to a base, the base lying, at least partially, under the mat, the mat comprising at least one base retaining element retaining the base, the base comprising a first base portion and a second base portion, the base portions being separable.
26. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 25, wherein, the first base portion includes a first fastener portion and the second base portion includes a second fastener portion, the fastener portions being arranged such that they can cooperate to join the base portions.
27. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 24, wherein the first fastener portion defines an aperture and the second fastener portion comprises a protrusion arranged to extend through the aperture.
28. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 25, claim 26 or claim 27, wherein the or each base retaining element comprises a strip attached to the mat along opposed sides of the strip, to define a passage between the strip and the mat of sufficient width such that the base can be threaded through the passage.
29. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to any of claims 25 to 28 wherein the mat comprises two base retaining elements, located on opposed edges of the mat.
30. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 28, wherein the mat comprises only one base retaining element, the base retaining element defining an opening such that, where the base comprises separable base portions with fastener portions, the fastener portions can be accessed through the opening to aid fastening.
31. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to any of claims 16 to 30, wherein the base has a substantially planar portion suitable for location under the baby changing mat, and the arch portion is connected to the base portion via an articulated joint, such that the arch portion can be moved from a position in which the arch is substantially parallel to the planar portion of the base to a position in which the arch extends above the base.
32. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 31, wherein one of the at least one articulated joints includes a ratchet mechanism, such that the arch can be arranged at different angles to the base.
33. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to any of claims 16 to 32, wherein the base is elongate.
34. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 33, wherein, where the base includes at least one articulated joint, the base has a connection portion at least at one end, the connection portion extending upwards from the base, the or each articulated joint being formed on the or each connection portion.
35. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 34, wherein the or each connection portion and the base are integral.
36. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 33, claim 34 or claim 35 wherein the arch further comprises feet, the feet being located at either end of the base and each extending from at least one each side of the base substantially perpendicularly to the elongate dimension of the base.
37. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 36, wherein each foot is attached to the base in a rotatable manner such that the foot can be a rotated from a posftion in which it extends from one side of the base to a position in which it extends from the other side of the base.
38. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to any of claims 16 to 37, wherein the arch portion comprises a single element.
39. The combination of an activity arch and a mat according to claim 38, wherein the arch portion is formed from a strip-shaped element.
40. The combination of an activity arch and a mat substantially as described herein and with reference to Figs. 1 to S and Figs. 11 to 15.